US embassy cable - 02ROME4959

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004959 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2007 
TAGS: PREF, PREL, VM, CB, IT, UN 
SUBJECT: ITALY ON VIETNAMESE MONTAGNARDS:  GIVE GVN PROMISE 
A CHANCE 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 194170 
     B. ROME 1162 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POLMINCOUNS T. COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
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1.    (C) ON OCTOBER 10 AT THE MFA, POLOFF MET WITH TIZIANA 
MARINI, DEPUTY OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR SOUTHEAST ASIAN AFFAIRS, 
TO DELIVER REF A DEMARCHE ON PROTECTING VIETNAMESE 
MONTAGNARDS.   AS HER PREDECESSOR RESPONDED TO THE PREVIOUS 
DEMARCHE ON THIS ISSUE (REF B), MARINI SAID THAT THE GOI WAS 
ACTING WITHIN EU POLICY.  SHE ADDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE GOI 
WAS CLOSELY MONITORING THE SITUATION AND WELL AWARE OF THE 
NEED TO MAINTAIN PRESSURE ON THE GVN AND RGC. 
 
2.    (C) MARINI SHARED DETAILS ON BOTH THE EU'S APPROACH AND 
ITALY'S POINT OF VIEW.  IN APRIL, THE EU DEMARCHED THE RGC ON 
THE NEED TO ABIDE BY THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS AND COOPERATE 
WITH UNHCR.  IN ADDITION, IT HAD DEMARCHED THE GVN ON THE 
NEED TO IMPROVE THE ECONOMIC AND HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION OF 
CENTRAL HIGHLANDERS.  SHE NOTED THAT THE VIETNAMESE 
CONSTITUTION GUARANTEES FREEDOM OF RELIGION AS LONG AS 
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS DO NOT INTERFERE WITH THE POLITICAL SYSTEM. 
 THE GVN REGARDS SOME PROTESTANT SECTS AMONG THE MONTAGNARDS 
AS BEING COMMITTED TO THE OVERTHROW OF THE ESTABLISHED 
POLITICAL ORDER. 
 
3.    (C) IN MAY, AN EU DELEGATION VISITED VIETNAM AND THE 
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, WHERE IT MET WITH PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES. 
WHILE THE EU HAS PROVIDED AID TO THAT AREA, IT IS STILL QUITE 
UNDERDEVELOPED.  THE GVN MADE A COMMITMENT TO THE DELEGATION 
TO PRIORITIZE DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL AREAS WHERE ETHNIC 
MINORITIES LIKE THE MONTAGNARDS LIVE.  GVN OFFICIALS CONSIDER 
THOSE WHO HAVE FLED THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS FOR CAMBODIA TO BE 
ECONOMIC MIGRANTS, NOT REFUGEES.  WHILE NOT TAKING A POSITION 
ON THE REASON FOR THE OUTFLOW OF VIETNAMESE MONTAGNARDS, 
MARINI STATED THAT THE GOI TOOK THE GVN DEVELOPMENT 
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COMMITMENT AT FACE VALUE AND WAS WAITING TO SEE HOW IT WOULD 
PLAY OUT.  MEANWHILE, THE GOI HAS SIGNED WITH THE 
INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT (IFAD) AN 
AGREEMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS IN VIETNAM. 
SEMBLER 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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 2002ROME04959 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL